Brake.



PATBNTED AUG; 6, 1907.

P. X. BEAULIEU.

BRAKE. APPLICATION FILED APR-11.1907.

lvwentoz 11/ Xlmm? wit eases BRAKE.

5 Specification of Letters Patent.

PAUL X. BEAULIEU, PRESQUE ISLE, MAINE.

Iatented Aug. 6, 1907.

Application filed April 11, 1907. serial No. 367,596.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, PAUL X. BEAUIJEU, a citizen of the United States, residing at Presque Isle,'. in the county of Aroostook and State of Maine, have invent- Q ed certain new and useful Improvements in Brakes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. \This invention relates to brakes, and more particu- 1a to the brake mechanism used upon freight cars and like structures, and it has for its object to provide a device of this kind by means of which greater power may be exerted in setting the brake upon the wheels ofthe'car.

I11 the accompanying drawing is shown a perspective view of a brake shaft adapted to be secured to a freight car, and is provided with mechanism embodying the invention. 7 i The numeral 1 indicates the shaft, which is adapted to be secured in the ordinary manner, which is not necessary to show, and is provided at its upper end with the ordinary hand wheel, and at its lower end,

with the ordinary brake chain, 3.

In addition to the ordinary wheel, 2, a smaller wheel, 4, is provided concentric therewith, but in a. slightly lower plane, and provided upon its upper face with I shoulders or ratchet teeth, 5. Pivotally mounted upon the shaft, 1, above the wheels 4 and 2, is a handle, 6, which (Extends out beyond the outer wheel and is preferablyf jointcd as shown at 7, by means of which the outer end may be permitted to depend or hang down out offthe way, the joint preferably being located at the outer edge of the wheel, 2. In the drawing the ordinary slip joint is shown, in which a pin, 8, projects throu h a slot, 9, in the outer portion, 10, of the handle,

whicljwill permit of great strain being placed upon the outer end, without danger of breaking the handle at the jo nt. It is evident that the outer portion might .0 be LII dc to telescope within the'inner portion, either with r without the joint, in the ordinary manner, or any ot or form of hinged connection might be used.

Pivotally mounted upon or connected with the inner portio of the handle, 6, is a pawl, 11, which is adapted {5- toeng dge with the teeth, 5, with-its free end, and

' therebyi cause the two wheels and the shaft, 1, to be rotatd when the handle, 6, is moved back and forth by thebrak eman, or the handle may be given an entire turn around the shaft, 1, with the same result. A

-0 weight, 1*, is pivotally connected with the pawl, 11,

- so'that w en it is thrown forward over the engaging end of the pawl, said end will be caused to engage with the teeth of tifi: wheel, 4, but when the weight is thrown in the o pposit direction over the rear endof the pawl,

5 as shown in dott lines, the free end of the pawl will be lifted out of engagement with the teeth and permit 7 the two wheels and the shaft to rotate in the reverse direction, as when the brake'isreleased. Reversible spring mechanism-could be substituted for-the weight in any well known manner for causing the pawl to stand in engaging position with the teeth of the wheel, 4, or out of engagement therewith. The upper end of andlever, as shown at 13, and a stay or brace rod, 14, extends from the upper end thereof to the intermediate portion of the handle, 6; for the purpose of giving greater strength and rigidity to the handle.

A ratchet Wheel 15 is preferably secured to the shaftanism as above described, and a pawl, 16, is pivotally secured adjacent thereto so that its inner or shorter end is adapted to engage with the teeth of the wheel 15 and thereby prevent the reverse rotation of the shaftwhen catch a new hold upon the wheel 4 and thereby rotate the shaft when the handle 6 is again drawn forward. The pawl 16 is preferably actuated by the foot, which may be placed upon its outer end and forced downwardly against a spring, 17, which will release it from the wheels 15. If desired, a stop, 18, may be provided as by bending one end of the spring, 2, towards the other, it being shown bent upwards in the drawing.

As above described, it is evident that the brake may and as soon as the strain upon the shaft 1 and the brake chain 3 becomes too great to be overcome by the brake man, he can place the handle, 6, and the pawl, 11, into upon the shaft and brake to overcome said resistance, and thereby increase the pressure of the brake upon the car wheel to almost any desired extent. 1 By providing a car with my imprcfired brake mechanism, as above described, it is evident that a car can be stopped at any point, and, quickly, and it can also be used to slow up a train on down grade, and, especially, if the air brakes should refuse to work. It will also be convenient upon a car where there is hardly room enough for another brake, as when it is loaded with lumber. In this manner Wrecks and accidentscan be prevented which frequently occur from inability to stop the train through defective or" inefficient brake mechanism. I l A The handle is always held adjacent to oragainst the outer wheel, 2, by the brace, 14, which will prevent the strain upon the pawl 11 from moving it upward, and the wheel 2 as to prevent the pawl from engaging therewith rapidly. i

At any time that the brake is to be released, a slight the shaft, 1, is preferably extended above the wheels at any convenient point-below the brake setting mech the lever 6 is being returned to cause the pawl 11 to be set in the ordinary manner by means of the wheel, 2,

operative position and thereby increase the leverage wheel 4 is placed low enough below the plane of the pressure on theioot pedal, or ratchet, 16, will cause it to v when the brake is released and the wheel is rotated be released from the wheel 15 and the parts returned to their normal positim'l The Stop 18 at the end of the f swung toward either end' of the pawl for controlling its spring, 17 can be so arranged as to prevent too great a movement of the free end of the spring, which will have a tendency to break it.

Having described my invention, I claim: 1. in a brake mechanism, a shaft provided with two j wheels concentrically mounted upon its upper end, one

within the other, the inner wheel being provided with shoulders upon its upper face, It handle pivotally mounted upon the shaft above said wheels, having. its end extended beyond the rim of the outer wheel, and a reversible pawl I mounied upon said handle in position for engaging with the teeth of the inner wheel.

2. In n brake mechanism, a shaft provided with two wheels concentrically secured to the upper end thereof, the inner one of which is in a lower plane than'the outer one and has its upper face provided with shoulders, a lnmdle pivotoily secured upon the shaft hhove said wheels and having its end extended beyond the outer wheel, a pawl on the handle in position for engaging with the teeth of said inner wheel, and a weight adapted to b0 movement relatively to the inner wheel.

3. In a brake mechanism, a shaft provided with two wheels near its upper end, a handle plvotally mounted upon the shaft and extended beyond the outer wheel, means upon the handle for engaging with the inner wheel for rotatlng it, and a brace extending from the upper end of said shaft to the intermediate portion of said handle.

4. In a brake mechanism, 8. shaft provided with two wheels at its upper portion, a handle pivotally, secured to the shaft and provided with means for engaging with one of said wheels for rotating lt, said handle extending beyond the outer wheel and being jointed adjacent thereto, whereby the outer end may be swungdownwardly out of the way.

In testimony whereof i have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PAUL X. BEAULIEU.

Witnesses:

ALFRED BEAULIEU, E. S. PERRY. 

